


His Shield

by Selador



Series: Sel's Prompt Fills and Other Ficlets [27]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Assassination Attempt(s), Competency, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-06
Updated: 2018-07-06
Packaged: 2019-06-06 01:09:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 478
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15183425
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Selador/pseuds/Selador
Summary: Gladio does his job, and he does it well.





	His Shield

**Author's Note:**

> abelarded asked for: Dear writer, please fulfill my need for Gladio actually being a shield and not just thinking about what it means to be a shield. Noct should be canon age - or hell, post-canon if that's the AU you fancy.

The thing about assassination attempts is that they happen _all_ the time. All. The time. Someone’s always is going to have it out for the royal family, and Noctis in particular.

Generally speaking, the Kingsglaive and Crownsguard stifle any of the attempts long before they get anywhere near Noct. That’s their _jobs._ If Gladio has to get involved, then someone fucked up their job very badly. 

Today, someone has fucked up their job.

Noctis leans onto the podium, unmoving and looking a little bored, staring into the crowd in the direction of the first shot. The one that hit the shield Gladio summoned when he ran out in front of him because _an assassin got close enough to shoot at the fucking King._

Heads are going to roll when Gladio gets to the Crownsguard, mark his words. 

This guy isn’t even that _good_ , what the fuck.

 _You’d think, if you’re going to go through all of the trouble of assassinating the King_ , Gladio thinks, as he pulls out a knife, aims, and warps right in front of the would-be killer. _You’d at least be a decent shot._ He wrenches the man’s arm up, so the second shot he fires goes off harmlessly into the air. After that, it’s child’s play to pull it away from him entirely. 

“That’s enough,” Gladio orders, pulling his arms back and holding them in place harmlessly. “You’re done here.”

A group of Crownsguards push through the crowd, taking custody of the assassin and removing him. Gladio watches impassively, trying not to show how much the continued light flashes irritate him.

 _They’re all like Prompto, for fuck’s sake,_ Gladio thinks with eye-rolling affection _. Wouldn’t put down their camera if the end of the world was happening._

Enough of the crowd has departed for Gladio to push his way back to the stage in little time. Noct, the little shit, still stands on the stage like he doesn’t have a care in the world.

Gladio grabs him round the shoulder until anyone who wanted a shot at Noct would have to go through him first, and herds him off the stage. 

“For fuck’s sake, Noct,” Gladio grumbles once they’re away from the open. There’s a flurry of activity around them by Crownsguards finally doing their godsdamned job; Gladio checks about the room quickly to make sure everyone present is a face he recognizes. Satisfied by their current level of security, he continues, “You could have at least left the stage. Or ducked behind the podium. Or, I don’t know, _warped out_.”

A smile pulls at Noctis’ lips. “Why would I do any of that? I knew you wouldn’t let anything happen to me.”

Gladio rolls his eyes and cuffs him lightly against the back of his royal head. He’s smiling too, though, because yeah, he does his job and he does his job _damn_ well _._  


End file.
